He has spoken.

It's been more than a minute since we last heard from Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman, so there was no shortage of topics to talk on when he stepped to the front of the Notre Dame Stadium interview room on Wednesday, January 15.

Freeman talked of the end (for now) of the USC series. He talked of the NFL and his interest in maybe one day coaching at the game's highest level. He talked of the transfer portal. He talked of injuries. He talked of how the end of the 2025 season can fuel a deep run in 2026. We discuss all of it, and then end the Pod with a prediction for Monday's College Football Playoff championship game.

Hint: It won't be close. 

He has spoken.
It's been more than a minute since we last heard from Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman, so there was no shortage of topics to talk on when he stepped to the front of the Notre Dame Stadium interview room on Wednesday, January 15.
Freeman talked of the end (for now) of the USC series. He talked of the NFL and his interest in maybe one day coaching at the game's highest level. He talked of the transfer portal. He talked of injuries. He talked of how the end of the 2025 season can fuel a deep run in 2026. We discuss all of it, and then end the Pod with a prediction for Monday's College Football Playoff championship game.
Hint: It won't be close.&nbsp;

NDInsider.com's "Pod of Gold" podcast is powered by The South Bend Tribune and recorded at the studios of WNDU-TV, South Bend Indiana's NBC affiliate. Notre Dame football beat writers Mike Berardino, Tom Noie and Austin Hough talk Irish sports, pop culture and the latest athletic news swirling around the Golden Dome with special guests. 

NDInsider.com's "Pod of Gold" podcast is powered by The South Bend Tribune and recorded at the studios of WNDU-TV, South Bend Indiana's NBC affiliate. Notre Dame football beat writers Mike Berardino, Tom Noie and Austin Hough talk Irish sports, pop culture and the latest athletic news swirling around the Golden Dome with special guests.

Pod of Gold: Notre Dame Football

Notre Dame Insider's Tyler James and Eric Hansen offer their takes on Notre Dame football, discuss the latest news and bring on guests with expert knowledge.

He has spoken.  It's been more than a minute since we last heard from Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman, so there was no shortage of topics to talk on when he stepped to the front of the Notre Dame Stadium interview room on Wednesday, January 15.  Freeman talked of the end (for now) of the USC series. He talked of the transfer portal. He talked of injuries. He talked of how the end of the 2025 season can fuel a deep run in 2026. We discuss all of it, and then end the Pod with a prediction for Monday's College Football Playoff championship game.  Hint: It won't be close. 

Pod of Gold: Dissecting and discussing Marcus Freeman's meeting with the media

We'll try, but we may mirror the College Football Playoff selection committee and fail miserably.

In our latest Pod of Gold, we attempt to make sense that like that, the Notre Dame football season for 2025 is officially over. No College Football Playoff run to a possible national championship. No bowl game. No nothing. All of it, over.

Who's at fault? Should fingers be pointed? Our crew of South Bend Tribune columnist Tom Noie and beat writer Mike Berardino and WNDU sports coordinator Jackson Neill try their best  to figure out how what happened could happen and what it all means moving forward.

Short answer - watch out college football in 2026, Notre Dame is coming.

We'll try, but we may mirror the College Football Playoff selection committee and fail miserably.
In our latest Pod of Gold, we attempt to make sense that like that, the Notre Dame football season for 2025 is officially over. No College Football Playoff run to a possible national championship. No bowl game. No nothing. All of it, over.
Who's at fault? Should fingers be pointed? Our crew of South Bend Tribune columnist Tom Noie and beat writer Mike Berardino and WNDU sports coordinator Jackson Neill try their best&nbsp; to figure out how what happened could happen and what it all means moving forward.
Short answer - watch out college football in 2026, Notre Dame is coming.

We'll try, but we may mirror the College Football Playoff selection committee and fail miserably.  In our latest Pod of Gold, we attempt to make sense that like that, the Notre Dame football season for 2025 is officially over. No College Football Playoff run to a possible national championship. No bowl game. No nothing. All of it, over.  Who's at fault? Should fingers be pointed? Our crew of South Bend Tribune columnist Tom Noie and beat writer Mike Berardino and WNDU sports coordinator Jackson Neill try their best  to figure out how what happened could happen and what it all means moving forward.  Short answer - watch out college football in 2026, Notre Dame is coming.

Pod of Gold: Making sense of the end of Notre Dame football season

We're done.

With the regular season. With the College Football Playoff rankings shows over those four Tuesday nights in November and December. All that's left is Championship Saturday and Selection Sunday.

What does that mean for projected No. 10 seed Notre Dame? Are the Irish comfortably in the field of 12? Do they need to sweat Sunday? Do they need help from a team here or a team there? We discuss what Selection Sunday might have in store for Notre Dame, which closed the regular season with 10-straight wins each by at least 10 points. We discuss (sigh) the case for Miami (Fla.) which handed Notre Dame one of its two losses.

We'll also (briefly) review the Stanford game, touch on Notre Dame football's recruiting class on signing day and offer a Pod of Bold statement on whether Notre Dame will be in the 12-team playoff field, and what seed to expect.

At that point, the Pod of Gold will be done. Except for the wondering. Have the Irish done enough?

We're done.
With the regular season. With the College Football Playoff rankings shows over those four Tuesday nights in November and December. All that's left is Championship Saturday and Selection Sunday.
What does that mean for projected No. 10 seed Notre Dame? Are the Irish comfortably in the field of 12? Do they need to sweat Sunday? Do they need help from a team here or a team there? We discuss what Selection Sunday might have in store for Notre Dame, which closed the regular season with 10-straight wins each by at least 10 points. We discuss (sigh) the case for Miami (Fla.) which handed Notre Dame one of its two losses.
We'll also (briefly) review the Stanford game, touch on Notre Dame football's recruiting class on signing day and offer a Pod of Bold statement on whether Notre Dame will be in the 12-team playoff field, and what seed to expect.
At that point, the Pod of Gold will be done. Except for the wondering. Have the Irish done enough?

We're done.  With the regular season. With the College Football Playoff rankings shows over those four Tuesday nights in November and December. All that's left is Championship Saturday and Selection Sunday.  What does that mean for projected No. 10 seed Notre Dame? Are the Irish comfortably in the field of 12? Do they need to sweat Sunday? Do they need help from a team here or a team there? We discuss what Selection Sunday might have in store for Notre Dame, which closed the regular season with 10-straight wins each by at least 10 points. We discuss (sigh) the case for Miami (Fla.) which handed Notre Dame one of its two losses.  We'll also (briefly) review the Stanford game, touch on Notre Dame football's recruiting class on signing day and offer a Pod of Bold statement on whether Notre Dame will be in the 12-team playoff field, and what seed to expect.

Pod of Gold: Notre Dame football will make the College Football Playoff, right?

We start this edition of Pod of Gold wondering exactly what's wrong with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Specifically, what the league has against Notre Dame of late with its "Team A vs. Team B" comparison nonsense, and then deciding that, yeah, it's a good idea for the game at Stanford to kick at 10:30 p.m. The Irish, in fairness, have remained quiet and calm and composed as they chase down another College Football Playoff at-large bid.

We then spend time with former SMU running back Craig James, who has again teamed up with former backfield buddy Eric Dickerson to create the Pony Express Award, which is presented to “the most dynamic, selfless tandem in college football.” Notre Dame running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are up for the award. James talks what makes the two so dynamic, talks Irish football and talks CFP. He even talks a little "Pony Excess."

We look back a little bit on Pittsburgh and look forward a little bit to Syracuse, then close with a hot take and bold prediction as Notre Dame looks to run its win streak to nine.

 

We start this edition of Pod of Gold wondering exactly what's wrong with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Specifically, what the league has against Notre Dame of late with its "Team A vs. Team B" comparison nonsense, and then deciding that, yeah, it's a good idea for the game at Stanford to kick at 10:30 p.m. The Irish, in fairness, have remained quiet and calm and composed as they chase down another College Football Playoff at-large bid.
We then spend time with former SMU running back Craig James, who has again teamed up with former backfield buddy Eric Dickerson to create the Pony Express Award, which is presented to &ldquo;the most dynamic, selfless tandem in college football.&rdquo; Notre Dame running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are up for the award. James talks what makes the two so dynamic, talks Irish football and talks CFP. He even talks a little "Pony Excess."
We look back a little bit on Pittsburgh and look forward a little bit to Syracuse, then close with a hot take and bold prediction as Notre Dame looks to run its win streak to nine.
&nbsp;

We start this edition of Pod of Gold wondering exactly what's wrong with the Atlantic Coast Conference. Specifically, what the league has against Notre Dame of late with its "Team A vs. Team B" comparison nonsense, and then deciding that, yeah, it's a good idea for the game at Stanford to kick at 10:30 p.m. The Irish, in fairness, have remained quiet and calm and composed as they chase down another College Football Playoff at-large bid.  We then spend time with former SMU running back Craig James, who has again teamed up with former backfield buddy Eric Dickerson to create the Pony Express Award, which is presented to “the most dynamic, selfless tandem in college football.” Notre Dame running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are up for the award. James talks what makes the two so dynamic, talks Irish football and talks CFP. He even talks a little "Pony Excess."  We look back a little bit on Pittsburgh and look forward a little bit to Syracuse, then close with a hot take and bold prediction as Notre Dame looks to run its win streak to nine.

Pod of Gold: Dissecting and discussing Marcus Freeman's meeting with the media

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